An Interview with Resatio Adi Putra

Resatio Adi Putra is a self-taught, Bandung born-and-raised. Working as a collage artist and graphic designer, he incorporates elements of myth, ideology and create a vibrant, dreams and imaginary at the same time. Structured Chaos; he said.  His artworks has featured at Elle, Nylon, Amica, Jakarta Post Weekender, and Beautiful/Decay.

Who are you? Tell us who you are in your view.
Resatio. I cut and paste encyclopedias and other ephemeras.

Where did you grow up?
I grew up at little bit not too suburban part of Bandung. I started making collage in my tiny room with some of ephemeras I found around.

What attracted you to the collage process? What sort of materials do you collect images from?
Collage is as difficult as making drawings, or paintings or whatever you name it. If in drawings you need a figure of a rabbit, you just draw it, but in collage you have to find the image first, and not all rabbit's image will suit your imagination, your visualization of what collage you will make, that's the interesting part. I use images from old encyclopedia, words from dictionary, some random magazines, anything i could found that suitable with my visual language. I once used a thread with a gadient and tea stain for my collage, I stitched it. It was fun. I am picky if it comes to the materials I chose for my collage.

What themes do you pursue from your works?
Dark yet playful, and mysterious. You will see, I often hide something behind my work, if you look it carefuly you will find something.

Eschatology

Do you have any favorites of your work that you ve done so far?
Everytime I do a new work, it is my favorite, you know, I develop.

Do you ever run into trouble when doing some collage?
I once cut my finger when i slided the cutter. It was pretty deep, the doctor have to stitch the cut.

What does a typical workday for you look like?
Waking up in the morning, tea is a must, working on administration and stuffs (replying email, etc), I do graphic design and illustration too and do the works I have to do that day.

What's "Kala"?
Kala is an art merchandise based on my collage art work. I try to make my artwork more affordable for everyone, so anyone who wants to own my artwork but didn't have much money or wont spend money that big for an artwork, you can buy Kala at an affordabe price. Kala means time and prosody in Sanskrit: Language.
 

Resatio's Artmedium Store Booth, Jakarta Do Art 2013.

Whats the reason you decided to give the name Sanskrit? And you optimistic that Kala will be sold in the market? Many people struggle to find ways to sell their works.

There's no special reason why I decided to give the name in Sanskirt, I just feel like I have to. I made Kala because my friends and other people  suggest me to make merchandise out of my artworks, so I think why not. It gives me space to do my artwork and to sell the merchandise as a brand. So far, the feedback is great, so I keep making it.


Have you ever had a history of attending art school or courses?
Nope, not at all. I am a self taught guy. I once attended an art history class back in Jakarta, once in a week, but I didn’t attend all of the class every week.

And we’re waiting for the dark to devour the light.
You’re wandering, pretending to be right.
“Stay!” she said.
“Taste my desire. Dead.”
“Now take my despair. Bring it to your sleep.”
There’s more for your nightmare. No need to count the sheep.
When your memories hear, deal it with your fear.
Catch the fireflies, avoid the Sandman.
Now open your eyes, if you can.

The Succubus. a poetry based on the collage artwork

I see you more often use a DIY on your work. Why you keep doing it in this era digital.
Actually I differentiate the technic based on the project. If it comes for my personal project, such as for an art exhibition, I prefer to do it manually, so I can keep the authenticity, but if it is comes for clients, such as packaging illustration or lookbook campaign I prefer to do it digitally, because we will revise it and so on. But afterall, I like it manually done collage the most.

Which living or dead artist would you most like to meet?
Max Ernst. My favourite piece of his is called The Elephant Celebes. He is a collage artist and a dadaist-surrealist painter. He painted collage. And also Jan Svankmajer, because of video of the human body that director by Jan Svankmajer (link)

Do you use the Internet as a media of your works to the public? What do you think about it?
Information travels faster in the modern age said Ben Gibbard in one of Death Cab  For Cutie's song. It is all because of internet. I am feeling blessed because I live in this age, internet is so helping me to reach other artists or audience at the other part of the world. I can’t imagine I live in the age when internet is a rare thing.

 

 

In Indonesia art scene is growing infrastructurally and commercially, so are you still optimistic that your works will be ok?
I dont know, I'm just true to my self, create a great artworks, and see how will it coming. I mean there's only a few collage artist in Indonesia, at least as far as I know. A good artwork is an honest artwork.


Do you have any upcoming projects or exhibition?
When I decided to make Kala, it was first an art jewelry products only, but it's different now, not only jewelry. So, back then I made a story, a poetry for each my collage, comes in a self stitched binding booklet. Maybe I want to show all of those booklets in a show, or maybe I just upload it at issuu, I dont know, just a plan.


Whats your fave book and song?
I like The Dangerous Alphabet by Neil Gaiman and Gris Grimly, and The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. Right now, at the moment of answering the question I listen to Nujabes (Feat. Pase Rock) - The Sign.

Thankyou, Tio!

 

For more works: resatio.tumblr.com